OpFor
See also: OpFor The Yemeni Opposition of the 2011 Yemeni Revolution, known to the West as OpFor (short for Opposing Forces '''or '''Opposition Force) were a military faction that seized power in Yemen following a violent coup d'état in 2011. Though made up of a variety of political movements and tribal bodies in opposition to President Yasir Al-Fulani, it is primarily known for the Hashid tribal federation forces, led by Khaled Al-Asad, who would take control of the country after attacking, kidnapping and eventually executing Al-Fulani. Al-Fulani's execution, along with rumours he was planing a formal handover of power when he was kidnapped, prompted the United States to launch an invasion of Yemen, intending to take down Al-Asad and regain stability in the country. Their involvement only lasted a day as though they reached the capital Sana'a quickly, they inevitably withdrew following the nuclear bombing of Sana'a. Following the disaster, OpFor and the former Al-Fulani forces, with assistance from the Gulf Co-Operation Council, reformed much of the government and military, with vice-president wp:Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi elected President in early 2012. Background In January 2011, shortly after the popular ouster of the Tunisian government, major street protests materialised in Sana'a to demand governmental changes. These protest eventually called for the resignation of the President, Yasir Al-Fulani, after 30 years of rule. This culminated in early February when the state opposition called for a "Day of Rage" in the mould of mass nationwide demonstrations that helped to topple the government of Tunisia. The protest drew more than 20,000 participants, as well as a show of force from Al-Fulani's supporters. Security forces responded to protests with live ammunition and tear gas. As a result, a number of prominent Yemeni government officials resigned over the violence used to disperse protests, some of which joined the opposition. When Al-Fulani presented the Gulf Co-operation Council-assisted transition plan to the opposition, they reluctantly agreed, only for Al-Fulani to renege signing it himself. A second attempt to agree came in late May, but Al-Fulani renege again. Furthermore, a brief but tense standoff occurred on 22 May when Al-Fulani's supporters surrounded the embassy building of the United Arab Emirates in Sana'a, trapping international diplomats (including the secretary-general of the GCC) inside until the government dispatched a helicopter to ferry them to the presidential palace. Battle of Sana'a On 23 May, a day after Saleh refused to sign the transition agreement, Sheikh Sadiq al-Ahmar, the head of the Hashid tribal federation, one of the most powerful tribes in the country, declared support for the opposition and his armed supporters came into conflict with loyalist security forces in the capital Sana'a after Saleh ordered Al-Ahmar's arrest. Al-Ahmar had been joined by defecting Yemeni Army defector, Khaled Al-Asad, who had protected anti-government protests in March. Al-Asad quickly gained full control of the Hashid fighters, as well as fighters from other tribes. After three days of fighting, the tribesman had captured the Interior Ministry building, the state news agency, and the national airline building. A ceasefire was announced late on 27 May, and the next day, a truce was established. However, by 31 May, the ceasefire had broken down and street fighting continued in Sana'a. Tribesmen had taken control of both the headquarters of the ruling General People's Congress and the main offices of the water utility. Capture of Al-Fulani On 3 June 2011, Al-Fulani was kidnapped in a bomb attack on his presidential compound. multiple C4 charges were planted inside the mosque and one exploded when the president and major members of his regime were praying. The explosion killed four bodyguards and injured the prime minister, deputy prime ministers, head of the Parliament, governor of Sana'a and many more. Al-Asad claimed responsibility and stated that he had kept the President in an undisclosed location until an predetermined time. Al-Asad's coup In the lead-up to and following Al-Fulani's capture, Al-Asad had been consolidating his authority and power within the opposition, against the wishes of some of his supporters. Hence, after Al-Fulani's capture, he made himself interim President of Yemen and placed a state of emergency on the country and cracked down of many opponents, including regime supporters, opposition, tribesman and protectors. Various insurrection groups, including the Houthis in the north and the South Yemen Movement in the south, were reportedly planning their own forces to march on Al-Asad. Al-Asad's coup was complete on June 18 after he publicly executed Al-Fulani in a military compound in Al Hudaydah. US Intervention, Nuclear Bombing and Aftermath A day later, U.S. Marines invaded Yemen from Al Hudaydah in the west and Aden in the south and reached Sana'a in a day. The following day, unknown forces detonated a nuclear device from the presidential compound and decimated the entire city. The GCC and the Assembly of Representatives of Yemen called for an indefinite ceasefire as to allow foreign aid for those affected by the disaster, as well as discuss the transition to a new government and constitution. Vice-president Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi was made interim president pending formal election held for 2012, which he would win by 99.8%. In the following months, Hadi would make inroads with reconciliation talks were held with the participation of many separatist elements, as well as the Houthis. It would be later revealed that Al-Asad had foreign support from Russian Ultranationalists, whom wanted a proxy conflict to direct western attention away from the burgeoning Second Russian Civil War. The Hashid and the government would systematically root out any Al-Asad or Ultranationalist supporters from the country, though some of those sects would find themselves absorbed within the Houthi and Salafi tribal groups. Category:Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Category:Call of Duty Category:Military Factions Category:2011 Yemeni Revolution Category:Second Russian Civil War Category:OpFor Category:Yemen Category:2010s